Van Leer Place is a two phase development project located in the Lackawanna area of Jersey City. Situated just below the Palisades cliffs, the project will be another addition to the rapidly developing ‘Soho West’ neighborhood that connects Jersey City with Hoboken.
Paying homage to its history, the project’s name Van Leer Place comes from the Van Leer Chocolate Company that once occupied the site. The factory was demolished after the area became a redevelopment zone.
However, its industrial history poses some problems. The site was declared a Brownfield following years of dumping dumping of white-cake arsenic. Clean up on the site began in 2010, removing the toxic material and re-capping it with clean soil.
In addition to the residential buildings, the developer, Hoboken Brownstone Company plans to build a 1.5 acre public park on the site that will include a children’s play area and dog run. They also received a $4.6 million dollar grant from the Federal Highway Transportation Fund to extend the light rail line to connect with 2nd St. station.
The first phase at 137-139 Hoboken Ave will consists of a 6-story rental building with 260 units, 7,585 square feet of retail and 280 parking spaces.
The second phase will bring another 222 units and 131 parking spaces.
Ground hasn’t been broken on the project yet.
